Radio: Ball State Radio Network -- WLBC 104.1 FM Muncie (Morry Mannies, Play-by-Play; Mark O'Connell, Analyst)Morry Mannies is in his 56th and final season as the play-by-play announcer for Ball State football and men's basketball . . . The "Voice of the Cardinals" announced his retirement from Ball State broadcasts Aug. 27, 2011.

The Series: Ball State and Western Michigan have met 37 times in football with the Broncos holding a 20-17 all-time advantage . . . Ball State has won three of the last four meetings and five of the last seven contests . . . Western Michigan posted a 45-16 victory at Ball State last season . . . In games played in Kalamazoo, Mich., the Broncos have an 11-7 all-time edge, but the Cardinals have won the last three games played at Waldo Stadium.

Scouting Ball State: Ball State improved to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the Mid-American Conference with a 31-27 home field win over Central Michigan Saturday . . . The Cardinals three losses have come to Temple, at the nation's No. 1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners and at No. 22 rated South Florida . . . The Cardinals are averaging 139.9 rushing yards and 213.9 passing yards per game in 2011, while allowing opponents 206.2 rushing yards and 268.2 passing yards a contest . . . Keith Wenning (Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater H.S.) has completed 173-of-269 passes for 1,614 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions this season . . . Jahwan Edwards (Matthews, N.C./Butler H.S.) leads the Cardinals with 71.4 rushing yards per game and eight rushing touchdowns . . . Briggs Orsbon leads the Cardinals with 35 catches and 347 receiving yards . . . Willie Snead (Muskegon Heights, Mich./Muskegon Heights H.S.) is second on the team with 25 catches and 305 receiving yards plus has added two receiving TDs . . . Travis Freeman (Cleveland, Ohio/Glenville H.S.) leads Ball State with 77 total tackles plus has added five tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception.

Scouting Western Michigan

The Record: Western Michigan fell to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in Mid-American Conference games after suffering a 14-10 loss at Eastern Michigan . . . The Broncos are 3-0 in home games, including a 2-0 mark in MAC home games -- Central Michigan (44-14) and Bowling Green (45-21).

The Coach: Bill Cubit (Delaware '75) is in his seventh season as the head coach at Western Michigan . . . He owns a 44-37 career coaching mark, including a 31-20 record in MAC play.

Ball State's come-from-behind victory over Central Michigan tied for its fourth best comeback in program history . . . The Cardinals fell behind the Chippewas 17-0 and 20-3 before rallying for the 31-27 victory . . . Ball State's 21 points in the third quarter marked the second best scoring quarter of the season, while the 28 points in the second half marked its second best scoring half of the year.

Ball State has converted on 26-of-27 trips inside the Red Zone in 2011 . . . The Cardinals are tied for third in the country for Red Zone Efficiency, and have scored 142 points from within the Red Zone.

The Cardinals have allowed only seven sacks this season and are tied for 14th in the nation for fewest sacks allowed . . . In net punting, Ball State ranks 23rd in the latest NCAA statistics with a 38.9 average . . . The Cardinals are averaging 12.71 yards per punt return, which ranks 19th in the country.

Some of Ball State's other top national statistical rankings include fewest yards penalized (5th), fewest penalties per game (13th), fourth down conversions (7th tie), tackles for loss allowed (18th) and time of possession (27th).

Ball State's football team has played on television 22 times in the last three seasons . . . The Cardinals are scheduled for at least two more television games in 2011 . . . Ball State played twice on ESPN2 plus appeared on ESPNU, CBS College Sports and Fox Sports in 2009 . . . In 2010, the Cardinals played on ESPNU once, ESPN Plus once and the Big Ten Network twice.

Ball State is 19-12 in its last 31 Mid-American Conference games . . . The Cardinals won their final three MAC games in 2007 and all eight league contests in 2008 for 11 straight conference victories, which is the second longest league winning streak in school history.